Switch Blades and New Days
by punkkhaos
Summary: After reaching his limit,Pony runs away from Tulsa to change himself for the better. Will Pony change for the better,or will he become the new Dallas Winston.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys!

I'm starting a new fan fiction that has the same concept as -Sabrikittie's fanfiction A New Ponyboy- but its my take.

Full credit goes to Sabrikittie.

disclaimer: I do not own the outsiders.

Chapter One

When I stepped out of the Dingo I had two things on my mind, a ride home and the new Buddy Holly album.

Scanning my surroundings I concluded that no fellow greasers were around to give me a ride home, sighing in irritation I began to walk the seven blocks to my home. After last summer Darry had made sure I learn my lesson about walking alone at night, I'd never put Johnny or Dally in danger again. After both of them recovered, I made a promise to myself never to use violence again. _Oh how wrong I'd be._

After kicking a single pebble down the dark paved for a good three block I vaguely heard the rumble of a certain vehicle that any greaser in the state of Oklahoma has come to know. The soc filled blue mustang.

"Hey,white trash!" a voice rang out causing me to snap my head in one swift motion.

It was Randy Anderson and the rest of his minions,you see after the west side social learned Johnny and Dally weren't dead, all chaos broke loose.

"Hey, murderer we're talking to you" Randy shouted out of the mustang giving me a vengeful look.

After being jumped so many times I learned talking back doesn't help, so I picked up my pace to a light sprint to make it the four blocks home.

_SCREECHH!_

Before I could register the sound of the mustang coming to a hard stop, I was being pinned against the hard pavement.

"grease I suggest next time we speak to you respond" Randy seethed as he pulled a switchblade against my tender throat, before I could sarcastically respond his four other friend that were dress in madras and white pants began to beat me like a new punching bag.

After a minute of trying to take the beating like a man, I finally let out a scream.

"DALLY, DARRY, SODA ANYONE!"

_WACK!_

_"_Horseboy shut up no ones going to help trash like you." Randy snorted as be dragged his switch blade along my throat, which made me close my eyes from the confusion and the blood loss.

Laying there as the continued to keep beating me, I heard the familiar pounding of converse on the pavement, causing me to smile because _the cavalry was coming._

"Hey! Get off him!" A thick accent yelled. Smiling I realized it was Dallas Winston, Oklahoma's toughest hood.

Suddenly in a daze, I was being pulled into the arms of someone who vaguely smelled like menthol cigarettes. Johnny Cade. During this last year Johnnycake had change for the better, physically. After the doctors scared us to high heavens that he would neve move again and a good six months of physical therapy, Johnny started lifting weights to build muscle mass. He was no longer scrawny Johnnycake, he was Jonathan Cade,the east side greaser who saved murdered a social and saved kids from a burning fire. Mentally I frowned,everyone was getting better while I was the wimpy little kid who always got jumped.

I really needed to change, I mean I'm the same stupid kid I was before my parents died and that says a lot. Coming to the harsh conclusion that I need to change, I huffed.

_SLAM!_

Hearing the screen door close in a furry I snapped my eyes open,only to see Johnny carrying and gently placing me on the worn couch.

"Dang it Ponyboy, you can't keep doing this!" Darry yelled as the vein on his neck began to stick out.

Perplexed, I responded in the same way.

"Doing what exactly!?"

By this time the gang was standing in the doorway with straight faces,minus Sodapop who had a worried look plastered all over his face. Scanning throughout the face I returned back to my angry older brother.

"Ponyboy, you know what I mean! You can't keep walking around like you have no freaking brain! I swear to god, maybe you should have just gone to the state!" Darry yelled in an orotund in the gang stood still as we all processed what Darry had said, until Dallas piped up.

"Yea! Superman's right here, you have to get tough!"

_"-maybe you should have gone to the state"_

_"-you have to get tough"_

I stood there in silence as everyone stared at each other, I had finally received the message my whole "family" wanted me to get.

I Ponyboy Curtis was not wanted.

In a fit of rage I smashed past Darry and straight into my shared bedroom slamming the door and locking it in the process. Throwing myself onto my bed, I started to let the tears flow freely. I was some wimp who couldn't protect themselves; no wonder the gang hates me. After thinking, I came to the conclusion the only way I could make anyone happy was to leave, not as in death as in leaving Tulsa.

Jumping up in a hurry I pulled out the duffle bag that dad and I used when camping and began shoving some basic goods in. After grabbing the wad of cash I had saved up, I turned to leave, only to be stopped at the window by a nagging feeling. I had to at least say goodbye.

Sighing I turned to my night stand, pulling paper out of the drawer to beginning to write.

_Dear Guys,_

_I have no idea why I'm writing this, because I know you all don't care. Anyway I'm leaving and I don't know if I'll ever come back, I mean who wants me? I know I am a wimp, but either I'm going to end up dead or I will change for the better. No matter what might happen guys I at least had to say goodbye, so here it goes._

_Goodbye,_

_Ponyboy Curtis_

Standing up I threw the note on my bed, unlocked my door, and opened the window leading to my new future. Taking a large breath I hoisted myself up and out of the wooden framed window and into the darkness of night with two things on my mind, getting to the train and my hazy future.

Scary, how in a matter of a few seconds your whole life can change.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys c:**

**im glad some people liked my story!**

Pulling my duffle bag over my shoulder tightly, I began to run in the direction of the Tulsa train station. As my speed began to pick up all my worries started washing away as if I had taken a dip in the River Lethe, but I'm from Tulsa and this isn't Greek Mythology. I kept running my troubles away, until I heard a rustling in the bushes as I passed Buck's, not caring I kept running until a familiar voice called out my name. Curly Shepard.

"Hey, baby Curtis!"

_Baby._

Becoming slightly angry by what Curly had called me, I yelled back at him while still running.

"I'm no baby, Shepard!"

He snorted as he chased after me, which was kind of funny, because he was a sixteen year old greaser who smoked all his life couldn't run as fast as me. We ran for about six blocks until Curly opened his big mouth and asked the question -Why is a fifteen year old greaser running at night with a duffle bag- anyone would ask.

"Where ya running too, Pones?" He questioned while gasping for breath, like a fish out of water.

Deciding I should be nice, I stopped and gave him a strange look. After three minutes of staring at each others ugly mugs, I finally responded with venom.

"I'm leaving this godforsaken dump!" the words practically poured out of my mouth.

Once I responded Curly's eyes shot wide open, as his posture changed drastically.

"Do your brothers know you're doing this, Curtis?" He asked, not taking his eyes off me or my duffle bag.

I just stood there, of course they didn't know. I didn't respond, I just took off in the direction of the train station and didn't't look back. Even when Curly screamed that he would tell my brothers. Not liked I cared. I'd be gone before the could find me and it's not like they knew where I was going. I didn't even know where I was going. Thinking, I realized I only had a good $200, which won't get me far enough away from this dump.

_SMACK!_

Not realizing I had run straight into the glass door of the train station, I let out a strangled yelp.

"You ok there, kid?" the guy behind the glass questioned with a smirks he tossed a fry into his mouth. Who eats fries at eleven o clock at night?

Jumping up I dusted my self off and re adjusted my duffle bag on my shoulder.

"Uh yea I'm fine" I responded while pulling my wad of cash out.

"Aren't you Ponyboy Curtis?" the guy asked.

I threw the guy a dirty look and answered, it's not like he actually knew me.

"Yea I am, not like it matters"

The guy rolled his eyes in a playful manner before speaking.

"I'm Mark Jennings a friend of Keith, I know who you are kid, and so why are you here at this time of night?"

Seething I barked an answer.

"Look im not in the mood to chat, what is the cheapest and quickest ticket out of this dump?"

Quirking an eyebrow like Two-Bit and taking out a ticket, Mark gave me a suitable answer.

"Well Mr. Curtis, to answer your question, our cheapest ticket is twelve dollars and it's to New York and it leaves in two minutes."

Slamming down twelve dollars even, I swiped the ticket and ran in direction of trains that were loading. Throwing my ticket at the gate keeper, I jumped into the flat bed of the train and sat against the metal wall. Sighing I slouched down, Id had finally taken a leap of fate, that was allowing me to finally change. Becoming, increasingly tired I closed my eyes, pulling my duffle bag to my chest.

I was going to finally change.

/

_EEEK!_

Snapping my eyes open in a blast, I jolted up to my feet in a flash. Waking up from the train stopping I turned around. Dang I had slept through an eight hour train ride; I guess I was really tired from all the action. Turning around, I jumped out of the train and roughly landed on the gravel in-between the tracks. Slinging my duffle bag around my shoulder and took off in the direction of the first stone building in sight, in desperate need of a smoke.

Man, running away takes a lot out of you.

As in kept walking, I started to think about what next step was going to be in one of the biggest cities I know, alone. Deciding I should buy a loaf of bread and maybe some bologna to survive, I started walking in the direction of the DX that was advertised a few blocks back. Still walking, a thought dawned upon me, had the gang read my letter yet? Laughing at my thoughts I kept walking.

"Hey, You!" a disembodied voice yelled.

Turning around, I came face to face with a 5'9 man that scars lining his body, and a nine inch switchblade pointing in my direction. Standing next to the burly thug were two young olive skinned guys, dressed in leather jackets and white wife beater, both pointing similar switch blades at me.

Before I could respond the man in the center of the three had attacked me, pinning me down against the cold pavement. Gasping for air as the burly man punch, I began to silently to cry. Already being in New York I was being jumped.

"Oh look at the baby cry" The guy pounding the life out of me a whispered in my ear.

_Baby._

When the New York thug called me a baby, something internally snapped. Wiggling my arm to my back pocket I took out the baby blue switch blade that I had stolen from Soda ,and starting jabbing and twisting at anything I could, which happened to be six inches into the guys neck. Freezing in the same spot on my back I realized, I had stabbed someone like Johnny had done. Not waiting any longer I jumped up from the pavement, and started fighting back with so much furry you could have just called me Dallas Winston. Blocking out the scream of the guys I kept fighting back, unitl my free hand came in contact with a metal object that was sitting tucked along the waist band of the taller thugs pants, a gun.

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

Like that they were dead. In a matter of a view seconds and the twitch of my finger, three men were dead. I, Pony Curtis, had finally grown up and took not one but three means life's.

Standing on the pavement realizing I was a cold blooded murder, I started to freak out. Darry was right, I didn't use my brain. I had _killed_ three living human beings, three humans. I know they had attacked me. But something click inside of me, I would no longer be the baby I was in Tulsa. Even though it had been only ten hours.

"Who the heck are you?" a voice yelled from behind me.

Turning around for the millionth time today, I spotted two guys with trucker's caps and jean jackets on, looking at me with wide raccoon eyes. Realizing I was in a frightening position I responded, adding a bit of rawness to my voice causing it to be gruff.

"I'm new to New York"

The kids smirked and laughed, as if what if I was an everyday New York event.

"Well, boy you are sure good with a switchblade" the Blonde kids smirked as the taller kid spoke up.

"Sorry about Tunny here, I'm Jimmy and well that's Tunny" Jimmy said as he pointed them both out by names, causing Tunny to speak up again.

"Hey, you said you're known right? Well do you have a place to stay?"

I shook my head laughing as I replied.

"I just got in about and hour ago and I already didn't use my brain" I kept laughing.

"Well anyone who kills gang leader of the Jets is welcome to stay with us." Tunny said as Jimmy shook his head in agreement.

"Gang leader?" I questioned in disbelief.

"Hey, kid you just killed Rusty James leader of the Jets , which mean we need to get out of here before something else happens" Jimmy responded as he literally pulled me behind him and the other kid named Tunny.

Trailing behind Tunny and Jimmy I realizd, I had just got to New York and more had happen in an hour than in my whole life-minus last summer with Johnny- and I was actually enjoying it.

"Hey kid" Tunny called.

"Uh yea, Tunny" I responded in an unsettling tone.

"Can I call you Switchblade?" he asked in a manner that reminded me of Johnny before the fire.

Giving him a strange look, I asked why.

"I mean you just killed three guys, and one of them was a gang leader!"Tunny yelled in excitement as Jimmy nodded in agreement.

"Hum, Switchblade, I like it" I replied following them to where ever. I wonder how long it would be before I told them my real name.

Walking in a city like Brooklyn with blood on your hands wasn't exactly uncommon, but it did earn you strange looks. Only being in this city for about a half a day, I could already this city was it could swallow you whole.

"So switchblade, why did you come here of all places?" Tunny asked with a giggle at the beginning. By this point, Jimmy was looking at me too.

"I had to leave my family in Tulsa to prove to myself I wasn't a baby" I said in a huff as I became interested in my navy blue converse and the cracks that littered the pavement. Jimmy snorted at my reason for coming here.

"Yea right Switch, you just killed three men. If you're telling the truth, then I must be a nun then!" Jimmy finished as Tunny and he erupted in laughter. Rolling my eye I kept following them, when something hit me like a train going full speed.

"Crap! I forgot my duffle bag back there!" I gushed out with wide eyes. Tunny and Jimmy turned around in a calm manner, like forgetting my bag wasn't bad thing.

"You didn't have anything that could identify you, right?" Jimmy said as if he had gone through this numerous times before. Shaking my head I realizing my wallets was resting in my front pocket.

"Everything that could identify me is right here" I answered, motioning to bulge in my front pocket.

"Well, then don't worry Switchblade, well show you a way to get new clothes" Tunny said giggling, which in the little time we have know each other he seems to do that a lot. Jimmy simply smirked as he began to start walking again.

Rolling my eyes I kept following them, Tunny and Jimmy began to tell me about themselves. Apparently they were both brothers who escaped their abusive parents in Oakland, and found a "family" here in New York. Tunny and Jimmy looked so much alike, that they dressed dead alike to screw with cops, hey it fooled me. The only difference between them to me was the fact that Tunny acted more like Soda and Jimmy acted more like Darry. Only their mannerisms made it easy to tell them apart.

As they continued to talk about our pasts, Jimmy led us towards the direction of a large warehouse with a single broken glass window.

Once we reached the outer wall of the warehouse, Tunny motioned for him and me to climb in the window that was barely four feet off the ground. Stretching my arms up to reach the ledge of the window seal, I pulled myself up and into the warehouse after Tunny and Jimmy. Once I landed inside the luke warm location, three pairs of eyes were all on me, before Tunny and Jimmy could explain who I was, or what I was doing here, three guns were pointed directly to my skull. Lovely.

"Who are you?" One tall black haired guy growled he cocked his gun to show leadership. Trying to stay tough I made my eyes dead and cold. As the two other strange men pointed guns to my head-that seems to happen a lot in New York-Jimmy and Tunny yelled for them to stop.

"He's new Billie, he just freaking killed Rusty and his thugs with a switchblade!" Tunny screamed as he griped Jimmy's right arm in fright, I really should tell them it was a gun not a switchblade, but man I like my new name. Once Tunny had screamed who I was, everyone in the room's eyes –minus Tunny, Jimmy, and I- bulged to the size of dinner plates.

"You killed the Rusty James?" Billie questioned as he slightly lowering the gun, but still leaving it in a position to attack. Nodding, Billie put down his gun all while signaling for the rest of the guys in the room to follow his lead. Nobody in the room talked for awhile; everyone just stared at me as if I had grown a second head.

"What's it to you?" I respond in a cocky manner, trying to act tuff.

"Well I'm Billie, and those guys you killed are part of a gang we have had trouble with for a long time." Billie added. Turing around in a brisk manner Billie barked at everyone to introduce themselves.

"Well to say again, I'm Billie, I was born and raised pretty much everywhere. My father died in Word War two and I never knew my mother. My street name is Armstrong, and I've been the leader of these idiots for a good eight years" I take it Billie was a military brat, that's probably why he is sharing information in such manner, unlike most greasers would. He was like Dally but more open. Next, a blonde kid wearing a black wife beater that allowed his physic to show spoke.

"That's tuff kid, I'm Bon, and I came from London. My father was also in the armed forces, but I guess when he got stationed here in American he just wanted to dump my brother and me off, lovely right? I met this gang the same day my father left, so they are my family. I'm pretty much an open, so if you ever want to ask me anything you can. Also I'm brothers with this wad of there" Bon said as he motioned to the kid in the corner reading a book. When he looked up from his book my eyes came in contact with a three inch scar running over his cheek._ Oh great we__'__re matching._ When Bon's brother opened his mouth it was a lot higher than what I expected.

"I'm Scotty, I'm 14 and I don't like sharing." Scotty introduced himself in such a manner; he dropped his book _Gone with the Wind _.Running out the door, Bon rolled his eyes.

"Don't mind him; he's just a little bit of a _baby._" I laughed _baby,_ such a commonly used word in my life. It was very creepy how much Bon and Scott acted like Two Bit and Johnny, one being tuff and the other being I was just about to question the gang of New Yorkers when Tunny spoke.

"You already know about us!" Tunny yelled in a bubbly manner – exactly like Sodapop-and grabbed Jimmy arm jumping. That kid must obviously bring this gang laughter. Standing there I realized – I had been doing that a lot recently- that everyone so far that I had met are just about carbon copies of my gang in Tulsa, I must already be homesick. Interrupting my train or though chance to ask a question, Billie spoke again.

"Yea plus, we got a guy from Dallas named Dakota, but he's on a swipe currently." He said motioning at me to sit on the poor made make sift kitchen chair.

"Thanks for the background, but why you are all so open with me, I mean you all don't even know who I am." I finally questioned as I put my head down.

"Look kid, we normally don't act like this. Tunny and Jimmy are smart, so if they brought you to our make shift home, they obviously saw great potential, like I do. Plus anyone who kills Rusty James is automatically in our gang." Billie responded smiling as he slung an arm around my shoulder, I already feel welcomed.

"Say what do we call you, Boy?" Bon chuckled as he sat down across from me on a torn couch.

Smiling slight I answered.

"My real names Ponyboy, but call me Switchblade." Not even questioning my real name.

"Say Switchblade, how about we go swipe you some real gang clothing and none of this church boy junk." Billie asked with a smile that could give the Cheshire cat a run for its money.

Grinning like a manic I beamed a response." Id love new tuff clothes for a _change"_

Walking down the main street of New York with a gang of actual greasers was fun; everyone on the streets turned their heads to look at the thugs that clumped together. As we strutted down the street Billie kept point places out that he told me I should remember, like I actually would.

"So Switch, what size are you?" Billie asked as he stopped in front of a motorcycle shop that sold tuff clothes.

"Large, but it doesn't't really matter" I responded laughing. Billie simply shrugged as he barked orders to us, which was for me to sit on the street and wait. Apparently the gang was going to pull a 'Mary Sue', which after asking I learned it was a shoplifting trick where Billie talked to the female cashier and Bon swiped the goods. No wonder they never got arrested for shoplifting, they had a routine that allowed them never to get caught. Billie must be one smooth talker. Breaking my though Billie ran by grabbing my thin white t-shirt and screamed.

"Run man!"

Jumping up I followed everyone in the same direction, sprinting. Once we all reached back alley of a store everyone stopped to catch their breath.

"Dang kid, how can you run that fast?" Bon wheezed, placing an open hand on the brick wall to keep his balance. Smiling shyly I answered Bon.

"I used to run track back in Tulsa, never lost a match"

Everyone smiled at me, telling me how running that fast would come in handy with muggings or out running a cop. We stood in the grimy back alley for a good five minutes, until we all heard a piercing male scream full pain float through to our ears. Snapping our heads up in a hurry, we quickly realized that Billie was not standing near us, it didn't't take us long to realized Billie was the one who let out the pain filled scream. Following the direction of the scream, we ran only to arrive to a fight between two men covered in tattoos and our Billie. Following the gangs lead I jumped into the fight trying to get the two men off Billie, when a gunshot shot rang out piercing my ears causing me to shudder in disgust. I lurched forward expecting to be hit, but I wasn't

Pausing the fight we all scanned each other to see who took the bullet, hearing a yell we realized it was one of the red haired men.

Never would I have thought, being in New York I would have witnessed so much murder.

"Billie, what happened?" Tunny yelled with wide eyes. Billie looked up with emotion clouding his eyes. After a few moments of dead silence he answered.

"I saw Dakota getting beat up, so I jumped in to help." Oh that was Dakota, he has more muscle that anything I pictured. The guy – who I still didn't't know was- began speak.

"Yea and now I shot him dead" The guy didn't't say anything else he just threw gun on the ground and sprinted off into the darkness of the New York alleys. Before anyone could register that we were in the front of a dinner, the blaring sound of cop cars pulled up behind us.

"Alright everyone back up!" a middle aged overweight middle aged man yelled as he drew his gun at all of us. Nobody talked; we just threw our arms up. The cop scanned the surroundings before yelling again.

"Armstrong, hands up! You're finished. I'm going to send you away for a long time after this murder." The officer slowly walked up into the gang and threw Billie to the ground, cuffing him. I became instantly furious and began to yell.

"Billie didn't't do anything! He's innocent" I pulled my arms down to my side, bunching my fists. The cop gave me a dangerous look, as he yelled that I need to shut my trap or he'd arrest me too. I felt bad for Billie he'd taken my in and helped me out – which reminded me to grab my clothes off the ground - and now he was going to jail for a murder he didn't't commit. Billie looked at us will cold eyes, as he said the words that would come to his final.

"I know they got me for good this time, but you all will do well without me, you hear?" Billie threw his head down as he shuffled his feet to the cop car. Jimmy threw his hands out to add emotion to his words.

"Who's going to take your place, Billie?" Jimmy said as he stepped forward in some desperate attempt to save Billie. We all peaked out ears up, as Billie was pushed into the black and white cop car.

"Switchblade, you lead them. I see something in you. You have great potential to lead them. Don't prove me wrong" and that was the last time any of us would see Billie ever again. I instantly began to freak out. Me being a gang leader? I had just come to New York and he wanted me to lead his gang, he must have been crazy. Thinking I was going to be the reason the gang fights, I started backing up until Scott actually spoke up.

"Well if Billie thinks Switch can lead us, so can I" I was shocked when everyone in the gang nodded in agreement.

"You guys mean it?" I questioned, hoping this wouldn't't end in a prank. Everyone nodded again. I was shocked. In fourteen hours of being in New York I had killed three guys, witness a murder, and became a gang leader. _Oh how Dallas would be proud. _Trying to be tuff, I puffed out my chest and spoke.

"Alright guys, lets go home"

Turning around we all walked down the alleys we came from –allowing me to get the clothes Billie had stole-and walked back to our home.


End file.
